Mirror Images
by black fire freak
Summary: IY X YH. Kagome and Kikyou are identical twins. Exactly alike or so Kagome thought until her and Kikyou were separated. Now Kagome's lonely while Kikyou's happier than ever. Kagome wishes to live Kikyou's life and gets her wish but soon regrets it.
1. Shipped Off

Disclaimer: I used the plot from the book Twins written by Caroline B. Cooney. I don't own the characters from Inu-Yasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale or Yu-Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files. And before anyone reviews me saying this is plagiarizing I did not copy from the book word for word but I made it my own in a way and I did the official disclaimer too.

Enjoy!

>>>Mirror Images>>>

Ch. 1 Shipped Off.

"Boarding school?" Kagome repeated in a confused daze. She couldn't believe it; they were sending her to boarding school. Her and her sister would be... separated. Her usually slightly tanned skin looked pale from fear. _'No, I won't let this happen, they don't understand!'_

Kagome looked at her mom and grandpa with pleading dark brown eyes. "Kikyou and I have never been separated. You don't know what it's like! You're ordinary people but we're not. We're identical twin sisters, if you send one of us away, we won't be complete!"

Her mom looked broken but set on her decision, "Kagome, this is what's best." Kagome started shaking, _'Why? Mom always adored dressing us up the same, she always admired having twins moving and talking in sync. Why all of a sudden do Mom and Grandpa want to split us up?'_

Soon her voice became frantic, "Mom, you can't do this! You've spent sixteen years dressing us up and making us match! No one's able tell us apart. You pulled it off. We are one. What makes you possibly think that separation is the best thing for us?"

Why did it seem that they were only talking to Kagome when Kikyou was there too? It was like Kagome was the one out of sync from her sister. Like she was the one that needed to be fixed and boarding school was the only way to do that. Kagome's eyes landed on her little brother, Souta, who's own dark brown eyes looked saddened. He stood in between their Grandpa and Mom.

His eyes tried avoiding his sister's. That instant… Kagome knew that no matter how much her little brother loved her, he would not back her up on this. It was like they were all prepared for this. Her mom stroked Kagome's heavy, long, black hair while her eyes were pushing back tears.

Kagome was confused, why separate her not only from Kikyou but from the rest of her family too? Separation was just going to break all their hearts. "Try to understand, sweetie," her mother said soothingly. Kagome was tired of trying to understand. "Understand what? That you are tearing us away from our own selves? Why can't you just accept what we are?"

Her Grandpa suddenly became angry, "Kagome, listen to yourself. You say 'us' instead of 'me' and 'we' instead of 'I'. It's not healthy. You are not one person. You are two different people and you are Kagome, not half of a twin set. You must be independent and fly solo."

'_What!' _She screamed in her head. _'Fly solo? Be independent? No it's unthinkable… I won't do it!'_

"We're identical twins, you can't fight the biological fact that we can't be independent. We can't live without the other!"

Her mom shook her head and sighed, "The fact is that we decided to separate you and your sister. It's best for your mental health and Kikyou's. Kikyou will stay here under supervision and you will go to boarding school. You're just going to have to trust me and Grandpa."

The room started to spin and her family members looked like reflections of a fun house mirror. Kagome's life felt like it was breaking apart into small shattered pieces that couldn't be glued back together. _'Kikyou must disagree with this. She'll back me up!' _She turned to her sister.

"We're not going to let them do this, will we Kikyou?" Kikyou just smiled. A smile Kagome did not do not like nor share. Kikyou finally spoke, "It's a good idea. I think that it's best this way, Kagome." Kagome's eyes widened, "Wh-what?"

>>>Later That Day>>>

"You are only to write letters, no telephone calls." Grandpa had ordered. "But jii-chan! I have to call, letters take too long and I won't be able to hear any of your voices!" Kagome pleaded. "That's the point Kagome." Her grandpa said sternly. Kagome shook her head, "No." She turned to her twin, "Don't listen to them Kikyou, call me when they're not watching you."

"No, Kagome, they're right. Letters will be better," said Kikyou. Betrayal beat her heart up into a bloody pulp. Kikyou never disagreed with one thing, she had not once objected. She never fought back. Not once. Kagome knew that the separation wouldn't have happened if Kikyou had just backed her up.

'_Would Kikyou not even miss me?' _Kagome pushed that thought out of her head faster than she thought it. No, her sister would be as devastated as she would. Nothing was making sense to Kagome anymore. The night before she left Kagome cried into her pillow wondering why this had to happen. _'Why is this the only way?'_ She thought before she went to sleep.

In the morning, Kagome walked downstairs with her suitcases and fount her Mom's eyes to be red, her Grandpa's to be darkened with circle's underneath, and Souta's to be filled with tears. Only Kikyou's were clear and bright.

Kagome put down her suitcases on the floor and hugged Souta. Souta began crying into her shoulder as he hugged her back. "I'm going to miss you, sis."

How did her family, who seemed to love her so much, have the heart to ship her away?

>>>On The Plane>>>

One thousand three hundred and fifty-five miles to her new school. One thousand three hundred and fifty-five miles away from her sister. On the big plane, Kagome was sitting in a surprisingly comfortable chair, staring out the window. Her eyes watched the gray sky while her heart was beating empty. _'I can't do this… how can I do this? I've never went anywhere without Kikyou.'_ Kagome thought with fear.

It wasn't exactly true, there were a few exceptions.

There was the time in ninth grade that Kagome went shopping with Yukina Jaganshi. How odd it felt to go somewhere without Kikyou and to be with someone that didn't look identical to her, whose laugh was not the same, who had different taste in boys. But she admitted she did have fun but only because it was with a friend.

Then there was the afternoon that she and Hiei, Yukina's older brother, had chocolate milkshakes together. It wasn't considered a date but just a coincidence that Kagome cherished.

To be honest, the twins never dated. They never did anything without each other and their presence overwhelmed any guy that crossed their path. Identical twin girls that were beautiful like these two were not ordinary girls but an Event.

The only thing in Kagome's eyes that were on the same level to an even was that afternoon with Hiei. She remembered it to be like an old classic romantic movie that replayed in her mind over and over. Not even Kikyou knew how much that afternoon meant to Kagome.

But the biggest Event to Kagome right now was the Separation. It was huge as the endless sky and unavoidable like puberty.

To Be Continued...

black fire angel : Well… there we go… review and let me know what you think. No flaming please. I'll update if you like this story.


	2. Being Lonely

Now to answer my reviews, that's right I said reviews. . I actually got some! Reviews:

Deathsangel4729 – Why thank you. But like I said I had taken some things out from the book Twins but I have made it my own so I guess I do deserve half the credit so thank you and I hope you enjoy the rest with whatever I come up with.

HIEI LOVERS – Thank you, I just made the words to be my own but you should really see the original story by Caroline B. Cooney. She's an awesome author. Oh and this update is just for you. Sorry if it's a bit… well… boring? But I promise that it will get much, much better. Reviews:

MooFasa The Dancing Cow – I agree, I love this story and I love making it into my own thing. I will indeed continue it so don't do anything drastic lol .

BitcheyBabe66 – Glad you love it. .

Chikuku x Ana ki – It will be a good story and you should check out the original story by Caroline B. Cooney. It's awesome although mine's a bit altered. I'll admit I like Kikyou but she's not my favorite. And I think you'll like how this story will turn out. .

Disclaimer: I used the plot from the book Twins written by Caroline B. Cooney. I don't own the characters from Inu-Yasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale or Yu-Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files. And before anyone reviews me saying this is plagiarizing I did not copy from the book word for word but I made it my own in a way and I did the official disclaimer too.

Enjoy!

Ch.2 Kikyou's Visit

>>>>>>>>Back At the Airport>>>>>>>>

Her mom actually had the nerve to hug her at the airport and spoke privately with her. "Do your best to make new friends, try hard and stay alive. I'm only doing this because I love you." Kagome was fighting back tears as she walked back to see her family the last time. Her Grandpa bowed as Souta embraced her with a tight hug, trying his best not to cry.

He wanted to stay strong for his favorite sister. "I'll write you everyday." Kagome smiled sadly, not wanting to leave. After their embrace she turned to her twin. Kikyou smiled brightly and said, "Good luck sis, have a nice trip." Kagome frowned, _'She's probably trying not to show her emotions so it won't be any harder for me to leave. Like what Souta's trying to do.'_

Kagome left to board her plane, without as so much as a hug from her twin.

>>>>>>>>At The School>>>>>>>>

Kagome stood in front of her new school. It was a gray building made out of stones sitting on an enormous wide campus. Dark thick woods circled the school like from some old fairy tale. She missed Tokyo, she missed Yukina and Hiei, she missed Souta and her family, but most of all… she missed her sister. _'I feel so alone.'_

She **_was_** alone. _'But I don't want to be alone. How do ordinary people stand it? Not to have someone by their side at all times. Not to be with someone you trust and love. It's just awful.'_

Kagome slightly smiled, "Luckily for me, I'm not ordinary." True there were a few things that only twins could do. They could reach out and contact each other by invisible waves it was called twin waves. _'Kikyou, I need you.' _Kagome poured her heart and soul trying to contact her sister.

Silence. Nothing happened. It was like Kagome was completely blocked out of Kikyou's life. This was her worst nightmare. She never expected this, never to be separated from her twin. Kagome even planned to have a double wedding with Kikyou. She even believed they would die together. _'I'm alone,'_ Kagome cried in her mind. _'And Kikyou agreed to it.'_

Fighting tears once again, she crossed the campus and entered the school. All that went through her mind was how much she didn't want to make friends and how much she just wanted Kikyou by her side like before. _'It's too hard to make friends, I'm already exhausted and I haven't introduced myself to a single person.'_

The dormitory was enormous and filled with so many strange girls that Kagome would have to identify and learn their names. _'They seem to know each other already…' _Her head hung down as she walked up the third floor and entered the dorm room she was assigned. Two girls were chatting away in the room and Kagome assumed they were her roommates. "Hi, I'm Kagome."

It felt so strange to not introduce Kikyou too. It was like half an introduction for half of a twin set. The girls smiled, knowing how if felt to be a new student. "I'm Botan," her first roommate introduced herself.

She had a perky smile and magenta eyes. Her long, straight, baby blue hair was pulled back in high ponytail. It was just as perky as her attitude. "I'm Keiko," said her second roommate. This girl had brown eyes and short light brown hair that almost reached her shoulders.

"Welcome to Yoshihiro High Boarding School." They both greeted. "It's both mine and Keiko's second year here, that's why they assigned you with us. So we can show you how things go around here and where to go." Botan giggled all perky.

Kagome sighed, _'Okay… I can do this… these girls are nice… I can try to survive.'_ She forced a smile as she set her two leather suitcases down and unpacked.

>>>>>>>>The Next Day>>>>>>>>

Kagome stood in the main hallway of the school and look at the large school calendar posted on the wall. She noticed that she wouldn't be going home until Christmas! _'No! Not fair! I have to stay here for four months straight? …I won't even be able to go home for Thanksgiving! How evil!'_ Tears formed up in Kagome's eyes. _'This is beyond not fair.'_

Kagome had learned that on the third floor that there was already a Kohanna, a Kagura, a Kaede, a Kage, and a Kikome. Kagome was another similar name to these girls; a name that was mixed up with a pool of names in their memories. Not one person got Kagome's name right so they just called her by her last name, Higurashi. To Kagome, it felt like they didn't even bother to try and remember her name. _'Kikyou… I need you here with me.'_

The twin waves were still silent. It made Kagome feel even more alone. No matter how nice Botan and Keiko were to her, she felt like her heart and soul were empty and lonely. Kagome never had to make friends before. She was born with a friend by her side at all times.

Oh, how she felt homesick. No matter how many times Keiko and Botan introduced her to friends, giving hugs or smiles; she just wanted to go home. At night, even more filled up with loneliness, she saw that her Mom and Grandpa were right. She felt like she was nothing without her twin.

When Kikyou and Kagome entered a room, it caused a commotion. People were amazed. Twins are rare. Identical twins were striking. Beautiful identical twins were an Event. Now that she was not with Kikyou, she was just one beautiful black haired girl stuffed in a school with many other beautiful girls. She was not an Event anymore. She was the opposite… ordinary.

At dinner, seats were assigned but at breakfast or lunch girls would arrive once they were hungry or awake. Kagome always wanted to sit in a packed table, along with Botan and Keiko, but she always sat alone, wishing her twin would magically appear. Or at least to return to the life she once had, back to her home, her friends, family, Hiei, and back to Kikyou. Back to the things that were good in her life.

Kagome ignored anything good at Yoshihiro Boarding School. Within a short amount of time, Kagome was labeled as the loser who had no friends and never would, the kind of girl that would always sit alone and avoid human contact. Keiko and Botan continued to be nice to her by duty but secretly asked for Kagome to be relocated to another dorm.

Kagome would observe the friendships in the dorms and longed to have one of her own. _'How lovely that would be!'_ She yearned inside. _'Maybe if I was not a twin then I could have had such a friendship with Yukina… even Hiei. But my chances had blown away because I was too absorbed with Kikyou that I didn't even give such a friendship a shot.' _

Kagome had never told Botan or Keiko or anyone for that matter that she had a twin. Along with her many orders that came with Separation, Grandpa and Mom ordered Kagome to not speak of even having an identical twin. She felt like she was hiding it like a shameful secret. But Grandpa had said, "No, you're suppose to forget it like a crippled past and be your own person."

'_How can I forget being an identical twin?'_

At boarding school, you'd live in the present. Very little history was known. It was like they all abandoned something from their life. People never asked for your background and they quit asking Kagome anything.

Kagome constantly though of home and thought of what questions she should've asked her mom and grandpa. This had to be more than spending too much time with Kikyou. Why didn't they just make Kagome sign up for different classes in school? Sign up for different after school activities? They could've just sent her to a different school close by. Why send her nearly a thousand miles away?

Botan and Keiko would sometimes scold her fore not trying to make any friends, making no effort at all and said that if she was lonely that it was her own damn fault. _'My own fault… my own damn fault. All my fault and not Kikyou's at all or they wouldn't have sent me away. But what did I do?' _

It was a struggle for Kagome to communicate with Kikyou. They never even had to really speak to each other, since they knew what the other one was going to say or do, much less even write letter to each other. Nonetheless, Kagome wrote to Kikyou twice a week.

_Dear Kikyou, …I want to come home. I miss you a lot and it's awful here without you._

Kagome couldn't write that. This whole idea was to prove Kagome's normalcy and whining in letters to Kikyou was proof that she wasn't ready to come home yet. At least to her parents. Instead Kagome wrote lies.

_I'm on the soccer team._

A lie.

_Everything's great, I made plenty of friends._

A bigger lie.

_My roommates Keiko and Botan are wonderful and really nice._

That much was true.

_My English teacher, Mr. Takahashi, says I'm a great writer, he thinks my stories are wonderful._

Another lie, Mr. Takahashi has actually gave her a C on her last two papers.

Kikyou's letters were full of lies too and she didn't write as often as Kikyou did.

Glad to hear you're having a nice time. I am having a perfect year; everything's going great. This was a good idea! What wonderful times I'm having.

Kagome didn't doubt that Grandpa and Mom was supervising her letters. She could see them throw away the letters of Kikyou's true feelings, how awful it was without her and how she wished she would come back. And that they had made her rewrite a letter full of lies. How awful those words were, stricking Kagome's heart: _I am having a perfect year; everything's going great. This was a good idea!_

Kagome would wonder about something their mother had said._ "Kikyou will stay here under supervision."_ She often pondered about that sentence. 'Since when did we ever need supervision?'

Though Kagome didn't get many letters from Kikyou, she got many from Souta. Many would be like:

_Dear Sis,_

_I miss you a lot. It's not the same here without you. I'm doing well in soccer; I'll be captain if I keep up the good work. Hope everything's going great over there. Grandpa and Mom send you their love two. I can't wait until you get home._

Letters like that from Souta made her feel slightly better but wondered why they wouldn't let Kikyou send letters like that. _'I guess since Souta isn't my twin that it's okay for him to tell me he misses me.'_

Slowly, like torture, Christmas was just inching closer. _'Only twenty more days until I see Kikyou. To once again know what someone else is thinking. To have move exactly the same way at the same time just by habit.' _

Kagome was overly joyful when she returned home from boarding school.

**To Be Continued……**

Well I hoped you all enjoyed the chapter and sorry if it was boring. I hope I get more reviews and I'll continue this story as long as people want me to. Oh and trust me this will get much better. Laterz.


	3. Not Twins Anymore and A Secret Wish

**Review Time!**

HeartStar – You got your wish. I updated soon . Didn't think that I would that soon did ya? Lol and I'm glad you find it interesting.

Cold Kikyo - . I'm happy that you liked it. And yep… updated!

**DISCLAIMER:** I used the plot from the book Twins written by Caroline B. Cooney. I don't own the characters from Inu-Yasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale or Yu-Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files. And before anyone reviews me saying this is plagiarizing I did not copy from the book word for word but I made it my own in a way and I did the official disclaimer too.

Enjoy!

Ch. 3 Not Twins Anymore and A Secret Wish

Nothing happened. Kagome stood in front of her twin. Kikyou, her lost fraction had remained lost. Kagome could no longer read Kikyou; she didn't know what was going on in her sister's head. She was not linked to her twin's mind or heart. _'They had accomplished what they wanted.'_ Kagome's heart cried.

Kikyou and Kagome were now separate.

Kagome could remember when they were forced to sleep in different bedrooms. It took them months to sleep with a wall between them, now the wall between Kagome and her sister was invisible and it separated them even more. _'…And Kikyou's glad about it…'_

In Kagome's old room she tried to reason with her sister. "Kikyou, you must want me back, don't you miss me at all?" Her heart felt sick, like it just got off a roller coaster after riding it for five hours. "Well, of course I do, Omae." Omae was Kikyou's baby nickname for Kagome.

"What's happened? I constantly miss you and it's hard to go through school without you. I try to hear you but I get nothing… it's like I'm being blocked out or I'm just not getting through. It's like being **_ordinary_**!" Kagome knew that Kikyou would comfort her now.

It was their special secret, their pride. _"We are not like anybody else. We are not ordinary. We are us." _Kikyou simply said, "Life's changed."

Hurt filled up in Kagome. "But **_we_** haven't changed. We're still the same!" Kikyou's facial expression changed into an emotion Kagome could not comprehend. Her mouth curved into an unknown smile. Her eyes shinned brightly with something Kagome couldn't describe. Two words fell from Kikyou's lips and slapped Kagome across the face.

"Naraku Onigumo," She said. "My boyfriend, Naraku Onigumo." Kagome was shocked as her face felt like it was pounding. _'What boyfriend? I don't remember reading anything about a boyfriend. No one mentioned any boyfriend in any letter.'_

Kagome became shy, how odd it felt being shy with her twin. "It'd be nice to meet him." Kikyou quickly shook her head. "No, I don't want you interfering. He knows I have a twin but I don't want him meeting you. I want him to think of just me, not two sets of me."

"What? You don't want me to me you're boyfriend? But I'm part of you!" Kikyou rolled her eyes slightly. "You're being dramatic, Omae." Kagome tugged on her ears, fiddled with her long hair, and looked at her sister, noticing that not once had Kikyou moved with her. They were not each other's echoes anymore.

"I feel like you're hiding me away, like some secret you're ashamed of." Kikyou sighed, trying to be patient with her sister. "Omae. We'll just find _you_ a boyfriend. Doesn't you're girls school have a companion boys school? There should be thousands over there… just pick one. "

"I wouldn't mind having a boyfriend," said Kagome, "but right now I'm worried about us. I want us back." Kikyou just stared at her sister, tossing her longer raven hair behind her shoulder. "I have a new us, Omae." Kagome shook her head, unable to believe about this Naraku Onigumo, and this different us. It was too horrible to think about.

Her head pounded and laid on her on soft bed. _'Ah… my bed… the only thing that hasn't changed.' _Her eyes moved to look at Kikyou staring at her reflection. When Kagome and Kikyou were little they would say that phrase from that book, Snow White. _"Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who Is the Fairest of Them All?"_ the mirror never made an answer for _two_ were qualified.

'_I'm going back to school in just a few days. I have to make Kikyou understand.' _"Kiko," Kagome used her baby nickname for Kikyou, "why not spend a long weekend with me? It would help me just spending some time together." Kikyou shook her head, "I'm busy with Naraku. Just at least try and adapt without me."

Kikyou looked at her sister's reflection in the mirror. "I know what you need… a boyfriend. Trust me. You ought to find a cute one over at that boy's school. Just pick one."

'_I'd pick Hiei… if I could.' _Kagome blushed at the thought. _'But I can't pick him… I don't live here anymore. And back at Yoshihiro… I'm a loser.'_ Kikyou got tired of Kagome's problems and left the house, not speaking a word of where she went. She didn't say anything about what she did when she got back home either. Kikyou just ran up the stairs and locked herself in her bedroom.

Kagome looked at her mom and grandpa. "I hope you two are happy, you got what you wanted," she sobbed. "We're not identical twins anymore. We're nothing alike. We are now two and will never be one again!"

"We're not happy, Kagome," her mother reassured her. "But it was best," her grandpa butted in. "Why did you do this to me?" Souta came in the living room as Kagome was asking the question.

It felt like her mom and grandpa was distant from her now, as if they had sold her to the devil. "You just need to trust us, we're doing this for you sweetie." Kagome actually laughed at them, "Trust you? I lost trust in you when you shipped me off!" Kagome ran out of the living room, slipped her shoes on, and sprinted out of her house.

Salt water dropped from Kagome's beat red eyes as she stood in front of the Goshinboku. The sacred tree always found a way to soothe Kagome's mind, heart, and soul. Souta walked up behind her and hugged her, snuggling his head in the small of her back. "Everything will be okay, sis." Kagome fell to her knees and sobbed in Souta's arms.

"Souta… you are the only one I can trust now."

Christmas vacation ended and Kagome left with her packed suitcases once again. As she sat in the comfortable chair on the plane, she watched the gray sky with her empty heart. _'Naraku Onigumo, huh?' _Kagome wondered about him often. _'What's he like? What does Kikyou's see in him? He must be cute.'_

Kagome was often curious now that she was not involved in Kikyou's life at all. _'Would he love me the same since he loves Kikyou? For aren't Kikyou and I are the same?'_ Kagome's chestnut brown eyes gazed upon the bright stars shining through the gray clouds. _'I wish… I wish I lived Kikyou's life.'_

TO BE CONTINUED…

Review and let me know if I should continue.


	4. Switching Places during Kikyou's Visit

**DISCLAIMER:** I used the plot from the book Twins written by Caroline B. Cooney. I don't own the characters from Inu-Yasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale or Yu-Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files. And before anyone reviews me saying this is plagiarizing I did not copy from the book word for word but I made it my own in a way and I did the official disclaimer too.

**_black fire angel:_** I'm SO sorry for the delay but I've been really sick. Doctor says I have Mono so, yeah. But I got my butt out of bed and typed the rest of the chapter for ya'll. Oh and if you're actually reading this I will let you know… that the next chapter is REALLY exciting. So please R&R. Enjoy

Ch. 4 Switching Places During Kikyou's Visit

"I'm coming to visit!" Kikyou exclaimed over the telephone. "It'll be great, we'll go skiing, pick you a guy, gossip with your friends. We'll have a wonderful time and be us! Plus, you'll get to show off that you're an identical twin then the Event will start once again."

"Wait, Mom and Jii-chan are allowing you to visit? They said you can call me?" Kagome gasped in excitement. "No, but I booked my flight in spite of them," Kikyou's tone flooded with how proud she was to disobey her guardians. "It's not that I'm not happy, Kikyou but why now?"

"Well, I love you and you had said you needed me so I'm going to be there for you." Kagome was literally jumping up and down out of joy. Girls in the hallway stared briefly, after they realized it was the lone loser they went on to their own business. "Yes! I'm so glad Kikyou!" Her twin giggled, "I can tell."

Kagome had given up on expecting any visits, especially in the cold winter of February. Her heart had become ice cold like the weather. The only way she thought it would melt back to normal was during summer vacation, when she'd arrive back home. "Later Kagome, I've got to go but I will see you this weekend. Love you, bye." "Love you too, Kikyou. Bye." After she hung up the pay phone she danced back to her dorm room.

Kagome laughed out of joy and pirouetted in her room. "Hey, Keiko, guess what!" Keiko showed no interest as she continued working on her studies. "My identical twin sister is coming for a visit this weekend!" Keiko rolled her eyes, "You're losing it Higurashi. You don't have a twin."

Kagome felt giddier and thinner as she danced around. "I do! And you'll love her!" Keiko looked her at, slightly annoyed. "And you all of a sudden remembered that you have a twin in February, Higurashi?" Her own brown eyes looked back at her book. "Yeah, right."

"Right!" Kagome laughed.

The next day at lunch Kagome sat at the lunch table she always wanted to sit at. The girls were so used to Kagome ignoring them that they returned the action. "My identical twin is coming to visit on this three-day-weekend!" Kagome cried happily. The popular girls gave her a long odd look. "It always happens this time of year," Kagura explained. "It's the cold from the winter. The losers go crazy and start to believe they have identical twins."

The girls laughed as Kagome flushed from embarrassment. "So, Higurashi…" said Koto, a fox demon and a friend of Botan's. "…If this twin of yours is identical to you… like, who cares? She's probably another loser like you." Botan, being the noble heroine, slammed her fist on the table. "Stop! Quit picking on Kagome and leave her alone. You all have been used to doing that for the first half of the semester, why don't you continue?"

Botan was only obeying the roommate rule, to stick up for your roommate even if she was a total loser. It was also in her nature to be nice but Kagome has pushed her limits.

Kikyou had finally arrived.

She stepped on campus and it became hers. Kikyou was the Event Kagome wanted to be. Kikyou overwhelmed the girls from the school, made them like her possessions. By the end of the day, Kagome and Kikyou were sitting at the most popular table with the most beautiful and popular girls. But it was only Kikyou they spoke to, leaving Kagome out of the conversations.

The girls even called her Kikyou, memorizing her name on the spot, while Kagome was still Higurashi to her peers. _"Come watch these horror movies with us, Kikyou." "Kikyou, let us hear more about Naraku Onigumo over hot chocolate and popcorn." "Kikyou, come sit with us." "Let's go skiing tomorrow, Kikyou."_

It surprised Kagome how the girls on the third floor could tell which twin was who. People at home could never tell them apart. How could Botan, Keiko, Kagura, Koto, Kage, Kikome, and Kaede know who was who?

Kikyou had enlightening personality.

Kagome remained wallpaper.

Kagome had high hopes for this weekend, like everything would be back to normal, and she wouldn't be the school loser anymore. This weekend was the worst in her whole life. Kagome had learned that it wasn't the surface that mattered. _'We're not identical twins… she's better. Everyone knew it but me. That's why Mamma and Grandpa sent **me **out here instead of Kikyou. **I'm** the flawed one. Kikyou is the worthy one while I'm her shadow. I'm nothing but an echo.'_

The five months that Kagome had been there she showed nothing to these girls. A whole day with Kikyou and they became her best friend. Kagome tried to twin wave her thoughts to her sister so Kikyou would come to her, shower her with comfort and love. She wanted Kikyou to deny her silly thoughts and bring her to the warmth of the group of girls, letting them welcome her to the friendships she longed to have.

Nothing happened.

Kikyou just laughed and enjoyed herself with the other girls when she should've comprehended the situation.

At night, Kikyou slept on a lumpy cot, refusing the offers of a bunk bed. She entertained the girls with stories about her lovely boyfriend Naraku Onigumo. Kikyou would describe her wild dates with him and his romantic escapades. She would talk about how sexy and handsome Naraku was and all of his crazy insane ideas. _'It doesn't even sound like home anymore,'_ Kagome thought.

'_Grandpa and Mom are letting her out at any hour? What happened to supervision?' _

Supervision. Kagome's mom had claimed that Kikyou would be under her and Grandpa's supervision. Botan was brushing Kikyou's long black hair, adoring it like she's never seen such beauty. "Wow, you just about get to do _anything_, don't you?"

>>>>>Sunday>>>>>>

Sunday was the last day of a too long and too lonesome visit. Kagome sighed and decided to tell her sister, "I'm not going skiing with you today. Go on with Keiko and Boton, I'll just work on my book report." The twins were fixing each other's hair as they had used to. They were perfect reflections of each other and did not need a mirror.

Kagome stared at her beautiful self, the self who was not really she. Both girls had put her heavy black hair back twice, high on top of the head, and again low at the neck. _'Who are you, Kikyou? I don't even know you. Are you even Kikyou anymore?'_ Kagome wondered.

"Of course you're coming Omae, don't be such a baby. You have a ski slope across the street. So that's what you're suppose to do… ski." Kikyou said. "But I'm coordinated like you."

Kikyou poked her sister. "We are identical twins. That means were identical in leg muscle too," Kikyou retorted. "Now we're going skiing and I intend to impress some people. Two of us will be more impressive than one of us."

Kagome looked at her twin thinking, _'You already posses everyone, who else is there left to impress? And besides… only you alone will be impressing somebody.'_

Kikyou's ski outfit was just stunning. Her jacket was crimson and green plaid with black velvet trim and black boots. _'Of course she looks stunning, Kikyou's always been a trendsetter.'_ Kagome felt like she was out of date along with every other girl out on the slopes. Kagome had worn the same neon solids everyone else had this winter only hers was turquoise. The color that stood out on it's own, the most fashionable one out there quickly became out of style.

Kagome was now ashamed of her ski jacket. She felt like an imposter that was obviously lacking taste. Her and Kikyou could wear their hair the same, they could paint their lips the same pink rose color, they could laugh the same laugh… but Kikyou was just something more. _'What would Kikyou think of me if she knew my jealous thoughts eating inside me?'_

Kagome prayed that her sister was not reading her mind. Not now. _'Okay… I deserve this. It's my fault that I'm lonely at this school. I didn't try my hardest or be my best. I made that stupid decision to be an empty shell. Just… how can I start over? How can I make friends with the girls I ignored before?'_

Still, Kikyou had not showered her with affection and comfort, even in this mild argument, the closest thing they've ever come to fighting. Kikyou moved forward and tilted her head and touched her lips to Kagome's cheek. "Okay, fine. I'll go skiing with you," Kagome said, defeated. "But if I break a leg you better break yours in the same spot, Kikyou."

Kikyou laughed, "I have too much at stake to spend my time in a hospital." Unwanted jealousy filled Kagome's heart, as her cheeks grew hot, knowing that she meant Naraku Onigumo. _'Maybe that's what is different. Maybe having a boyfriend lifts Kikyou's spirits so high that everyone just wants to hang on to her soaring heart. Wanting to take a free ride on love.'_

Kagome no longer felt or knew love. Her peers' treats her like she was invisible, her twin sister discarded her, and her parents shipped her away from all her loved ones. The only person she could trust in her family was Souta and even he seemed like he was hiding something from her.

The mountain on which the girls skied on rose beyond the playing fields. Girls were supposedly came to the school for famous academics but Kagome knew it was for the winter sports and the boys next door. The two schools shared an indoor skating rink so figure skating and hockey could be played all year round.

Each ski team could be at the top of the mountain within minutes of the end of classes. _'So, while I failed to impress hundreds of girls there were also hundreds of boys. If Kikyou's so madly in love with Naraku, then why would she even want to look at someone else?'_

Kagome was lost in her thoughts again thinking, _'What's Naraku like? What if I met someone as wonderful as Naraku? He must be wonderful if Kikyou adores him so much.'_ "Do you and Naraku talk about me?" Kagome looked into the mirror instead of at her twin. Kikyou's pink lips curved into a smile, "No."

Kagome could she her sister mouthing words to the mirror and she could read them: Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall, Who Is the Fairest of Them All? Chills ran up her spine. _'The mirror can't answer such a question, for we are equally fair.'_ Kagome thought. "Doesn't Naraku wonder what's is like to be a twin?" She asked quickly. "I mean, doesn't _everyone_ wonder what it's like?"

"I guess he does," Kikyou gave her sister a hard look as she kept primping herself up, "but he respects me by not asking about it." Kagome felt a sting through her heart. "I don't think he even believes that I have an identical twin," Kikyou continued, laughing now. She seemed like she was flirting with her own reflection. "He loves me and he says, 'Two Kikyou's? Impossible.'"

Kikyou went on ahead and out the door, looking beautiful in her glittering ski suit. She was greeted with cries of friendship from girls who would never bother with Kagome. "Kikyou this is so much fun! You should come here more often!" "How neat it must be to be an identical twin!" "Yes, tell us all about it. What's it really like?"

They had never bothered to even ask Kagome once about what it's like.

Kagome had become part of the background, she blended in with what wasn't important. Kikyou was the fascinating Event and the special identical twin.

The boarding school bus carried the skiers and their equipment up the single mile to the lifts. Everybody got out, carefully unloading their equipment. Kikyou scampered ahead of Kagome and into a deep in a group of new friends. Laughing, teasing, and thoroughly enjoying herself.

Kagome became a blue splotch of paint as she put on an old ugly knit cap and stuffed her heavy hair beneath it. It was not a good match for her turquoise ski suit. It was a royal blue and the colors clashed with each other.

Her heart wasn't beating like it should have. Her chocolate brown eyes watched Kikyou walking halfway up the to the lifts then saw her pause. Groups of people were multiplying around Kikyou and fear grew in Kagome. _Kagome,_ came pulsing wordless communication. _Come._

The lovely twin waves had returned! Kikyou was calling for her! _'Kikyou figured out how lonely I feel. How lost I am without her. We're twins again! The twin waves are back!'_ Kagome's heart began to mend back together.

Kikyou entered the lodge and Kagome hurriedly followed. "I knew you would come." They both said it together, inflections on the same syllables, lips equally lingering on the M. Kikyou huffed out a sigh of relief. "I thought we had lost it, Omae."

"So did I," said Kagome, her eyes filling with tears of happiness. The sisters embraced, almost too happy to bear the feeling. Kikyou shoved Kagome into a girl's room. "I feel bad that you have to wear that rag of a ski suit while I have such a stylin' beauty. Listen up, Omae."

Kagome's heart flip-flopped over with love for her twin that outshone her. "Are you listening Omae? We'll switch," Kikyou planned. "I want you to be the star here. This is your school and you should be main attraction. I don't know what's wrong with me being the Event in your life as well as mine."

'_I knew she'd come through in the end! We're still twins!'_ Kagome thought. "No, it's okay Kikyou," she said. "You look perfect in it." Kikyou giggled and poked her sister in her side. "Well then so would you. We are identical twins you know?" Kagome nodded and giggled.

The twins undressed with lightning speed. "I want you to be Kikyou, Omae," said her twin, zipping Kagome into the gleaming taffeta plaid. "What? What do you mean, Kiko?"

"We'll just switch." Kikyou smiled, making Kagome smile back but didn't comprehend the situation. "I want you to join them as Kikyou Higurashi. Answer when they say Kikyou and be the one they want. You be the one out there laughing, smiling, and skiing. Be silly with them, drink hot chocolate and watch DVD's. Dance with them to their music in the dark and be their new special Even friend."

Kikyou stuffed her own hair in the ugly blue cap this time. "Then later tonight, when they are confused which is which, we'll reveal to them who's who. It'll be great; everyone will have a good laugh out of it. Plus, it'll help with your social life here, trust me. It'll get you started up again."

Kikyou lifted her hands to hold her twin's hand and Kagome's hands had lifted at the same time to hold hers. They both were wearing a silver ring on the third finger of the right hand, clear polish on their nails, two silver slim bracelets, and no watch on their wrists. _'We really are back!'_ Kagome exclaimed in her thoughts.

Kikyou pushed Kagome gently, sending her sister out into the group of friends that she had made. Kagome shined like a Christmas ornament. Kagome was engulfed by the Third floor girls. Keiko, Boton, and Kagura gave worried cries. "Kikyou! Where'd you go? We didn't know what happened to you!" "Let's go!" "Times' wasting as snow's melting."

So many exclamations. So much excitement. So many warm feelings of friendship. All of this just because they thought that she was someone else. That she was her twin sister, Kikyou.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

TBC...

black fire angel


	5. The End of Identical Twins

**DISCLAIMER:** I used the plot from the book Twins written by Caroline B. Cooney. I don't own the characters from Inu-Yasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale or Yu-Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files. And before anyone reviews me saying this is plagiarizing I did not copy from the book word for word but I made it my own in a way and I did the official disclaimer too. – thank you for reviewing. Yes, I've had that problem before when I wanted to review and thank you so much for taking the time to e-mail me your review. Also, this update was for you. . Hope you enjoy. Kikyo – Thank you for the review and I hope you like the update.

Enjoy. Read and Review.

Ch. 5 The End of Identical Twins

It took Kagome a long time to reach the ski lift with so many new friends surrounding her. These same girls that seemed like swarming sharks with a cruel appetite were now friendly to her, offering her stick of gum or pocky, and having a good time with them. _'Is there such a lovelier word than friendship?'_ Pain of disloyalty struck her heart. _'Twins is lovelier by far.'_

She looked around to see where the new Kagome went. She saw that her sister had arrived first at the chair lift. _'I guess she was able to wriggle through the clouds since she's alone.'_ Even though there were crowds of people waiting in line, no one seemed to share the seat with the new Kagome. She was alone, swinging on the chair life, in the turquoise suit and ugly blue cap.

Not one other person on the mountain was all by herself. Kagome felt terribly sorry for that girl. _'You're Kikyou now,'_ Kagome reminded herself over and over. _'So stop worrying about that loser. Tonight, you'll be the popular twin. For this one night the pitiful loser, Kagome, evaporates.'_

Botan pushed the group to the head of the lift line. "Oh, Kikyou, you must come visit on our next long weekend in March," The perky girl smiled cheerfully. "You know, Kikyou, you really surprised us when we found out you were the identical twin."

"You're not like your sister at all," said Keiko. "Not at all, because you," Kagura, the popular wind demon pointed at her, "are interesting." "It's amazing how different you and your twin really are," Keiko tilted her head and looked at her. _'They won't even say the name Kagome or Higurashi,'_ thought Kagome. _'I'm just someone not even worth naming.'_

Kagome wished that they would say 'Kagome' just once, but they didn't. "I wish you were the one living here at school. We'd have so much fun, Kikyou, just like all weekend," said Botan.

It felt like fate played a cruel joke on her and was laughing.

'_I ruined it. I've ruined my life as Kagome. I'm not getting a second chance. Once they find out the truth, they'll groan and leave me but they'll find it funny how Kikyou could mimic me.'_ Kagome's eyes hid a deep sadness. _'I don't want Botan and Keiko to like me just because they think I'm someone else. I truly want to be a separate **likeable** person with my** own** friends. Oh… Mom and Jii-chan were right. On the next three-day weekend, I'll go home and convince Mom and Grandpa that I understand and I'll do anything just to stay home.'_

"Kikyou, are you okay?" asked Botan. Kagome nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. I just can't wait to get on the ski lift then ski." Kagura sighed, "Tell me about it. You'd think the line couldn't get any slower." The girls laughed and giggled.

The sun was bright and hit the snow hard, not even sunglasses could help. The shiny rays of light were blinding but beautiful. The lifts continued to drop of skiers on the top of the mountain, and groups continued to ski down the mountain in swirls.

And then a pause. A pause, that hit Kagome hard, making her want to go home, making her feel like she was going to vomit. A pause, in which the Kagome who was really Kikyou seemed to be stuck on the lift for a moment. Stuck alone. Maybe even equally stuck in life.

The gondola Kikyou was sitting in by herself leaped forward again. The thin metal rod that curved over the top and held the gondola to the cables… had snapped. Over the roar of shouts from the crowd, no sound was audible. The gondola flipped, as if fates hand were shaking the contents out. The contents that were Kagome's twin.

Kikyou's skis tangled, her turquoise legs twisted, her knit cap caught on the protective bar, but her herself fell like a silent stone. _'Kikyou! No! My Twin!'_ "NO!" screamed Kagome. She couldn't run because of her skis but she was able to kick one foot free from the thick shiny boot. "Hang on! Don't fall!"

Kagome planned to burst away from Keiko, Botan, and Kagura, to run faster than anyone could, and be able to get beneath her tumbling sister, to catch her, to save her…

But she didn't even get the second boot off. Her twin's body spiraled only once, headfirst, becoming a slave to gravity. No, she did not land on soft snow or swiftly on her feet or on her soft cushioned palms, but viciously and cruelly onto the rock scree which divided the bunny slope from the advanced.

The end of identical twins took only a horrible moment.

The mountain had no respect for their twinship. The rocks had not cared. Gravity had not given it a second thought. Fate was cruelly laughing.

>>>>>>>>>>>>

To be continued….


End file.
